Cold Feet
by Hope Meijer
Summary: Samantha Carter had cold feet.


_Author's Note: Another plot bunny demanding attention. Or, in this case, one-shot bunny. I'm off to Venice for a week, so I won't be posting anything for a little while (just been given my Art exam paper too...). _

_I don't think I specified what "City of the Gods" actually was (I've already had some questions) - it's one of the Fandemonium books just out. By Sonny Whitelaw, it's got an amazing storyline, very episodic, and with a nice dose of SJ! Please, go check it out, and I recommend it as a worthwhile purchase._

_This is set in the middle of Threads. No real spoilers, just hints._

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COLD FEET

* * *

Samantha Carter had cold feet. 

No matter how she lay, how she moved, they were still cold. The heating was on, but it was midwinter, and her extremities tended to lose circulation. Probably from too much sitting in uncomfortable positions in her lab when she worked, she mused.

This was so often the case off world, even when she had her thick socks on and she was bundled in a sleeping bag. She was never this cold. Except maybe in Antarctica. But she refused to let her thoughts wander down that route. That had been in the past, and there was no point dwelling on it now.

She'd tried everything. Socks, hot water bottle, more layers. But nothing worked. Her feet remained so cold that she had resorted to having a pillow separate her feet, just in case one should brush her leg in the night and wake her up from the sheer iciness.

She sighed and rolled over, burying her face in soft, warm cotton. Her head had just been lying there, and had left warmth that was soothing and comfortable.

"That's my shoulder," came a drawl from what sounded like the other side of the bed, but was in reality just muffled through the layers of material between them. He obviously had his face buried in the pillow again. She hated that. She was always afraid he'd suffocate himself in the night.

"I know," she murmured. Things had been so much easier when she'd been single. She could have spread across the bed and toss and turn as much as she liked without fear of hitting him, or complaint.

"S'okay."

Well, at least she knew he was still awake.

"You all right?"

"Cold," she replied. A hand snaked out and rested on her waist. He was obviously attempting to keep her warm, but was too tired to actually move. She shook her head lightly. "Thanks."

"Mmph."

She stared at the clock. It was still early morning, and they both had their work to do that day, but she couldn't get to sleep. A crack in the curtains allowed the light from the moon to filter through and cast a beam across the covers, reaching over her hand which lay across her stomach on top of the duvet. The light glinted off the ring resting round her finger.

She stared at it thoughtfully for a moment. Just a small circlet of metal symbolised so much. Everything she had strived for came down to this one ring, and in some part of her mind she was scared. Doubtful. It was a big step for her to take, and maybe one they hadn't really thought about; just caught up in the moment. The feelings were there – there was no denying that – but was she really ready for commitment? It would change everything, and even though he'd promised he would support her and help her through, part of her would miss her old assignment. But then everything had changed with her and Jack's promotions anyway.

The moon was shifting, moving ever so slowly so that she could barely detect it, but sensed that the glint the ring was giving off was dimming. It would be lost in the darkness soon, but she would still know it was there. And that thought comforted her. There was a time when she had recklessly agreed to a proposition, and she regretted it. But this time was different. They would make it different.

And she knew the ring symbolised not only the promise, but also the feelings between them that would never lose their strength.

Moving her hand out of the moonbeam, she let a soft smile grace her features before burrowing further into the covers and her partner's embrace.

"Sam?"

"Mmm?"

"You sure you're all right?"

Definitely. After all this time, they'd made a decision that suited them. And she was happy about it. The doubt in her mind did nothing to lessen any of the love between them, but merely showed that she'd been burned before and didn't want it to happen again.

"Just thinking."

"Is there a time when you're not?"

She smirked – a habit she'd picked up from him. Shifting until he had his arms wrapped completely around her and their bodies were pressed together, he let his head rest in the dip of her neck, his breath tickling the nape.

"Go back to sleep, Jack."

"Mmm'kay."

There was silence for a few minutes, until his husky voice broke the quiet again.

"Sam?"

"Yeah?"

"Someone's put an ice block my side of the bed."

"That would be my feet."

* * *

_Author's Note: Um...I'm not quite sure what happened here...I just had a small idea, and then just carried on writing. It wasn't originally that thought-centred, but then I decided to see if I could slip in a couple of twists. Review? Please?_


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